A strategy that can transform rural development

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

Of late, Rina, a farmer in Bansur, Rajasthan, has experienced something that hadn't happened for decades. She is enjoying uninterrupted sleep, without waiting for the erratic electric supply to stabilise before switching on the irrigation pump. Her crops are now watered during the day, thanks to grid-connected solar power, and she no longer uses the expensive diesel-fuelled pump. Her income has risen by up to 60%, and for the first time, she feels truly in control of her work. By guaranteeing fair compensation, the government aims to provide greater financial security and a more dignified standard of living for rural workers. (Pic for representation)
Rina's story illustrates what India's rural energy transition can look like when clean power is integrated into local systems instead of installed as stand-alone equipment, like solar lights. While, India's energy transition just hit a major milestone where half the nation's installed electricity capacity now comes from non-fossil sources, as per ministry of new and renewable Energy (MNRE) data, the transition remains uneven. Paradoxically, India also surpassed the one billion tonne coal production mark this year, as per ministry of coal data, with 88% of it used by the power sector.
But here's the bigger challenge: It isn't just about adding more renewables. It's about finding innovative ways to ensure this is a just transition and that rural India, home to nearly 65% of the population (according to Census 2011 and NSSO estimates), isn't left behind. Today, rural households still face unreliable electricity. Farmers often irrigate at night due to weak grids and end up using polluting diesel pumps. This increases costs, reduces productivity, and worsens climate vulnerabilities. Beyond farming, lack of stable electricity affects children's education, women's household burden, and access to public services.
A well-implemented rural solarisation plan could, however, bring about widespread transformation, especially for the most vulnerable. For instance, shifting from diesel to solar pumps could significantly reduce irrigation costs for smallholder farmers, enhancing their economic resilience and promoting sustainable farming practices. These savings could be reinvested in farm inputs, education, or household needs, offering a tangible economic boost to millions of families. On a national scale, reduced fossil fuel dependency would lower import bills and support India's 2030 renewable energy targets and net-zero ambitions.
States like Rajasthan show what's possible when policy, infrastructure, and people come together. Blessed with abundant solar irradiation and available land, Rajasthan went further than just capitalizing on potential – it built a system. Government support, private sector partnerships, and institutional readiness resulted in making solar energy part of everyday rural life.
A research study conducted by Sambodhi in Rajasthan in early 2025 shows that grid-connected solar power is already changing lives across three levels: On farms, at home, and in communities. Farmers like Rina benefit from predictable irrigation, while women are using appliances like washing machines and mixers to ease household chores, freeing up time for education or income-generating activities. Children study longer with fewer disruptions, and new job opportunities in solar plant maintenance and operations are emerging at the village level. These are not just economic wins; they are social ones, subtly shifting power and autonomy within households and communities.
Rajasthan is just one node in a growing national network of rural solar innovation. Gujarat's reforms also stand out for their systemic impact. By separating agricultural and residential feeders, the state ensured reliable power delivery and enabled the launch of the Suryashakti Kisan Yojana. This scheme allows farmers to install solar panels and sell excess electricity to the grid, improving their incomes while stabilising rural energy supply.
Other states are tailoring solutions to local challenges. In Maharashtra, the Vahini Yojana is helping establish women-led solar cooperatives like the Tejaswini Solar Energy Women's Industrial Co-operative Society in Wardha. These cooperatives don't just generate electricity, they foster entrepreneurship and decentralise power generation, bringing ownership into women's hands. In Bihar, where farmers face erratic rainfall and waterlogging, hybrid solar-diesel systems offer flexibility. Chhattisgarh is using decentralised solar to electrify schools and health centres in remote tribal regions.
What do these varied models have in common? All these initiatives demonstrate how adapting to local contexts like the geography, social dynamics, governance structures, and financing models is what makes them effective. By combining solar hardware with digital tools, training, and smart finance, these solutions become scalable and sustainable.
Still, there's a risk. If rural solarisation becomes a one-size-fits-all exercise focused only on installing hardware, we will miss the bus. Panels and pumps are a start, but the real transformation lies in building systems that are inclusive, adaptive, and people-centred.
That means reframing flagship schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) not just as providers of central subsidies, but as enablers of local ownership and energy governance, allowing farmer collectives, panchayats, and cooperatives to drive decision‑making, aligned with MNRE's vision for decentralized solar adoption. Customising implementation across agroclimatic zones, equipping DISCOMs with better tools, and expanding access to blended finance for smallholder farmers are all essential. Promoting community-owned models such as solar cooperatives, shared infrastructure, and local entrepreneurship also plays a vital role by creating long-term incentives for care, upkeep, and innovation.
Such a systems' approach also aligns with India's national and global agendas – from the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement (as submitted by India to the UNFCCC) to the 2070 net-zero target and the vision for inclusive rural development. But more than that, it answers a critical question: Who benefits from the clean energy transition?
India's villages cannot remain afterthoughts in the climate story. They must be at the centre. Because it's not just about generating more renewable power--it's about who gets to use it, shape it, and thrive from it.
India has a chance to lead the world not just in expanding solar capacity, but in advancing rural energy justice. It must take action so that the clean energy transition reaches every household sooner rather than later.
This article is authored by Stella George, senior research manager, Kezia Yonzon, deputy vice president, inclusive growth and sustainability, Sambodhi and Samit Mitra, managing director and country director, India, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP).